Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 16-07-21

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From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] Parliament passes bill for simple proportional representation in principle

[02] 'We are determined to build a future free from the baggage of the past,' Tsipras tells Parliament

[03] Communal kitchens to be set up as pilot scheme in three refugee centres

[01] Parliament passes bill for simple proportional representation in principle

Votes in favour were given by the ruling coalition parties SYRIZA and Independent Greeks (ANEL), and by the Centrists' Union. Votes against were cast by main opposition New Democracy, the Democratic Alliance and Potami. The Communist Party of Greece (KKE) abstained, voting 'present', while far-right Golden Dawn did not take part in the vote.

The vote on the individual articles is now underway.

[02] 'We are determined to build a future free from the baggage of the past,' Tsipras tells Parliament

Tsipras noted that this was a significant day, since it was the first time that an election law tabled by the ruling majority goes beyond the ends that the ruling majority hopes for.

The prime minister defended proposals for lowering the voting age to 17, noting that this would give young people an incentive not to give in to depoliticisation but take their lives in their own hands.

He also noted that an initiative to establish legality in the television landscape was proceeding, despite the obstacles and reactions of the establishment.

"A part of your extreme behaviour may be due to the great nervousness displayed these days by these circles," Tsipras said, addressing main opposition New Democracy leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

Replying to Mitsotakis, meanwhile, Tsipras wondered how he was so sure he would find the 200 votes needed to abolish the new election law, once he was in power. "Will you work with Golden Dawn?" the prime minister asked.

Talking about the revision of the Constitution, the prime minister said that its aim was to protect democratic rights, protect public goods, protect the quality of the vote, enhance democratic participation and strengthen Parliament.

It was time to realise that a political cycle that began in 1974, with a two-party system, was ending, with Greece and Europe entering a new period, Tsipras said.

"Parties of 40 pct do not exist today. From the barren two-party system of the past we can pass to a fertile bipolarity with cooperation governments," he said.

Again addressing the main opposition leader, Tsipras accused Mitsotakis of making every effort to prevent the tender for television licences from going ahead and "adopting the demands of intertwined interests" for elections once a decision to set the process underway was made, so that "we might go and they might escape."

"You can be sure that neither will we go, nor will they get away with it. We will be here until 2019 and after 2019 with the people's vote," Tsipras said, while he also stressed that the Siemens trial will take place and a court ruling will be issued.

'Today, simple proportional representation becomes a law of the state,' PM tweets

In a tweet posted ahead of his speech in Parliament on Thursday night, Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras noted that "A sustainable exit from the crisis will not be achieved without the democratic reform of the political system."

"Today, simple proportional representation becomes a law of the state," he added.

[03] Communal kitchens to be set up as pilot scheme in three refugee centres

The three centres have already started installing appliances and kitchen utensils, after which refugees will be trained in their use and operation. If the pilot kitchens are successful, the model will be gradually extended to the other refugee centres in Greece.

The kitchens in Doliana will be set up by Oxfam, while those in Oreokastro and Cherso have been taken on by the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC).

Talking to the ANA, Reception General Secretary Odysseas Voudouris noted that catering firms had been a stop-gap solution due to the emergency situation that had arisen but this was only transitional, since it did not meet either the needs or wishes of the refugees.

Authorities are still investigating the best way to organise the communal kitchens, however, and whether it is better to allow families to cook separately or organise meals for the entire community in collaboration with the NGOs.

Voudouris said the running of the kitchens would be largely decided by the refugees themselves, and that there would have to be a degree of self-organisation, with the support and supervision of state structures to organise ordering and security issues. The kitchens will be combined with the distribution of vouchers that refugees will use to buy food and other daily necessities from shops in their local area, he said, thus helping boost local markets.

In a survey concerning current food distribution methods, authorities discovered serious shortcomings - including the fact that refugees were currently throwing away 30 pct of food they were given because it did not meet their dietary customs. There were also problems with the diet of infants and children under five and inadequate quantities of bottled water.

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